Colin Salmon on Det. Sup. Darren Maclaren interview
Colin Salmon plays the team's boss, Darren Maclaren...
Darren is a good policeman who came up through the ranks. I've based him on someone I knew who became quite a high-powered policeman. Maclaren came into the force at 16/17 and worked up through the police force. What I like about him is that he really supports his team. He loves Deering and her team and has a really strong sense that having women in power in the police force as a good thing.
He's very up on technical progress. A lot of policing is files and getting information around as quickly as possible, so we have the Google Tower cop shop which is the iPad-driven, paperless, internet-savvy world - which we never see, but it's where Maclaren is based. But what he can't keep away from is Friday Street cop shop, as it is absolutely about people putting leather on pavement and being policemen. He builds the bridge between the two stations, but if truth be told he'd rather be at Friday Street.
Maclaren is very well turned out, matching socks and ties. I think that's a sign of his wife's influence as well, but it's clearly a bit of a quirk. He's not a GQ man but thinks he's a bit of a chap.
There is a political element in Darren's world, so he's very keen that things are done properly. I's are dotted and T's crossed which Friday Street don't always do - and when they do they don't do it as well as they should sometimes.
I've known of Paul Abbott for 20 years. I did Prime Suspect so watched Cracker that he worked on. And it was around that time he was bringing out his first stuff. Immediately you heard this individual voice that had integrity and dark humour and that was real. The opportunity to work with Paul Abbott on this job was key for me - I'd been working all over the world and as soon as I got the call, I was in. I actively went after the job as Paul is one of our most preeminent creative writers.
No Offence is a tale of everyday folk; truly the humour is built on the reaction and reflection of how we cope with the horrors of the world we are in. The characters are flawed but coming from the right place. They always have the best interests of the people at heart.
I think No Offence is an aspirational piece of drama. I hope that the sensibilities and hearts of the characters that Paul Abbott has written are understood as they are plunged into genuine crimes to investigate. If we upset you, or frighten you or if you feel it's a bit too blatant, I can honestly say we did it with no offence intended.